


Just Like Her, Just Like Me

by Secretficjunkie



Category: Little Witch Academia
Genre: Mentions of Andrew Hanbridge, Mentions of Chariot, Mentions of Diana Cavendish, Mentions of Jasminka Antonenko, Mentions of sick people, New Beginnings, Self-Acceptance, Self-Discovery, Self-Doubt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:27:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28100895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Secretficjunkie/pseuds/Secretficjunkie
Summary: In the not too distant future, and on the brink of a promising new career, Akko reflects just on what kind of witch she wants to be. With faith in herself and a little help from her friends, she will find that who she is already is enough.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 13





	Just Like Her, Just Like Me

**Author's Note:**

> I am alive! And up to my neck in commssions. Apologies for those waiting for me to finish unfinished projects, they're coming along! Here's something that's been kicking around my brain for a while.

The sanitary paper crinkled under Akko's legs as she shifted nervously from one thigh to the other in the sterile, white and gray room. Clutching the Shiny Rod close to her, she looked around at the collection of tongue depressors and cotton balls in the jars on the counter, to the blood pressure cuff and cabinet full of more sinister instruments. 

She felt particularly out of place, with her bright orange skirt, very much like the one that hemmed Shiny Chariot's costume a decade or so ago...but with a pair of shorts underneath, as Akko often ended up upside down in the air more than she would care to admit. She tugged at the brim of her white witch's hat, willing herself to think about something else other than the unnervingly clean surroundings. 

She fervently hoped she was doing the right thing. Sometimes the path seemed so clear, like looking for the seven words. Even if the way to unlocking the word wasn't obvious at times, her goal always remained the same. Life wasn't quite so clear. 

She glumly thought about how she never did fully master metamorphosis magic...not like Chariot anyway. A small smile came to Akko's face as she remembered how Chariot seamlessly flowed from one graceful, elegant shape to another. Centaurs, mermaids, and harpies, all long limbs and flowing hair. Stunning in an obvious way, like Amanda when she danced with her broom. Beautiful and clever in an obvious way, like Diana was whenever she did anything at all. 

The paper crinkled again under Akko's legs, pricking at them unpleasantly with little folds. Akko was none of those things. The little animals she transformed into still had silly proportions...an elephant with ears too big, a bird with wings too small, and a fish...well...her fish was still nowhere near a fish nor a beautiful mermaid. But...it made people laugh. And laughing was good, as Jasminka often reminded her. 

A memory came to Akko of a lonely bench on a Blytonbury side street. The first time she heard Andrew laugh, of course. She couldn't completely believe her ears at first, but she had broken through that chilly facade and coaxed a laugh out of him. If she thought hard, he had said something important...to change the world in her own way, instead of Chariot's way. It didn't make much sense to her at first...her goal for most of her life had been to be just like Chariot, in every way. 

Then Akko remembered the Samhain Festival. At first, the crowd laughed at her...then they laughed with her. Even though they still got swallowed, it lifted her heart to hear the joy. She had done that. She had been imitating Chariot's metamorphosis magic, but the results had been very different. 

Akko's eyes lit up and she jumped a little, suddenly pulled from her memories and back to the present. She looked into the seven aquamarine eyes of the Shiny Rod. 

“Is that what that means?” she asked it. “Believing in your heart is your magic? As in...yours and nobody else's?”

The Shiny Rod didn't answer, didn't so much as thrum with a blip of magic energy. 

“Are you trying to tell me, was Chariot trying to tell me...to be myself all along?” 

Still the Shiny Rod said nothing. Life wasn't always so clear. But Akko felt like she was on the right track, even if it was just a thin gossamer line that she was gripping onto, ready to follow into whatever came next. 

“I hope you know what you're doing,” she smiled down at the Shiny Rod.

At that moment, the door opened and a nurse in a crisp, white uniform peeked her head into the room. 

“We're ready, Miss. Erm...how should I introduce you to the children?”

Akko had rehearsed saying it many times until she could belt out the answer. This time though, she stumbled over the words. “Shi-...ah...Akko.”

“Shy...Akko?” the nurse asked kindly but hesitantly.

“No...um...just Akko,” Akko breathed out, suddenly feeling a great weight lifted away. 

“Alright, Miss. And don't be nervous,” she patted Akko's hand. “They're always happy just to have company.”

Akko followed the nurse into the ward with many beds in neat rows. The children were gathered in a group off to one side with plenty of space for them to watch. Akko's heart jumped in her chest and sank like a bobber on the end of a fisherman's line. Some children were pale and bony, others had only wisps of hair left on their heads, and others still were tethered to machines to help them breath. Despite the heavy air of little bodies in pain and misery etched into their faces, their eyes were big with the wonder of seeing something new other than the machines and nurses and doctors they were used to. 

“Children, this is Akko...a witch! She's going to spend some time with you today and show us some magic! Won't that be fun?” said the nurse with a well-practiced happy tone. 

Most of the children nodded and Akko even saw a few small smiles break out. Burying her initial shock and sadness deep down in her belly, she put on her biggest smile and animatedly waved the Shiny Rod in greeting. 

“HI! Welcome all! To the world of magic!” she echoed her idol and mentor. Then she let go, abandoning the dream of being Chariot's next incarnation, and realized the new one becoming totally herself. 

“Let's laugh! Together!”


End file.
